Ladder.



R. a. 001m.

LADDER- FILED I APPLICATION LY I9, 1915. 7

1,217,713. 1 Patented 11,127,191? 1 U s .v rns RICHARD GARRETT COTTER, or SAUSALITO, CALIFORNIA.

LADDER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

A Patented Feb. 27, 1917.

Application filed July 19, 1915. Serial No. 40,752.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, RICHARD GARRETT COITER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Sausalito, in the county of Marin and State of California, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Ladders, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to improvements in ladders used in picking fruits and in the work of pruning trees, and commonly known as fruit or orchard ladders; and the objects of my improvement are, first, to provide a ladder, of any convenient length, of such form that it may be easily and quickly set in any position around or in the head of a tree, enabling the worker to conveniently reach any part of the tree; second, to provide a safe, firm and convenient detachable supporting pole, prop or tongue for the ladder; and third, to provide a means of readily and safely attaching or detaching such pole or prop, so that the ladder may be readily and easily set in any position, either around the tree or with its top in among the branches, and the pole placed in proper position among the branches, from the opposite side of the tree and quickly attached, forming a safe and sufiicient support for the ladder, or readily detached that the ladder may be set in any new position.

I attain these objects in the manner shown and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a view showing the ladder with the pole or prop attached, furnishing a swinging tongue for the ladder as it is swung from position to position around a tree' Fig. 2, an enlarged view of the upper part of ladder, above top step, showing end of pole in position, and the means of attaching and detaching the pole;

Fig. 3, a top view of the metal ring or loop B into which is screwed the metal coil or screw C, on the upper end of the pole D, when attaching the pole to the ladder; and

Fig. 4 is'a side view of ring or loop B.

In Fig. 2, C is a slightly tapering metal coil or screw secured to the upper end Copies of this patent may be obtained for five' cents each, by addressing of the pole D, by means of bolts or rivets; B is the ring orloop to engage the coil or screw C, when the pole is attached to the ladder. The loop B is permanently attached to the ladder by passing the shanks A loosely through holes in the side rails E, allowing the pole to swing freely when attached to the ladder. f

The screw G tapers slightly so as to allow the point to readily enter the ring B and take up quickly with one or two twists of the pole.

In carrying out this-invention in a practical form, it is obvious that the supporting tongue or pole D may be securely attached to the ladder by inserting the screw C in the ring or loop 13.? 'A twist or two of the pole attaches .it firmly, forming a swinging tongue for the ladder as it is placed in various positions about the outer edge of the tree. Also the tapering upper end of the ladder, with the pole detached, 7

the small end of ladder carrying a mug.

or loop to engage the screw, the ring and screw providing a means of readily and securely attaching the pole to the ladder when desired, or detaching it therefrom, all substantially as set forth.

2. A ladder comprising side, bars and rungs, and a closed tapering. end in combination with a detachable pole or prop, the

ladder being provided with a socket near its tapering end adapted to-receive the end of and limit further longitudinal motion of the prop.

RICHARD GARRETT COTTER. Witnesses:

HARRY JAo UEs THOMAS,

.JENNIR MARY GALEs.

the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G. 

